Straight Lake Wilderness State Park: hunting and access
Straight Lake Wilderness State Park is 1,631 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Polk County, 2 miles from Frederic. Hunters registered 8,091 deer in Polk County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestState parksOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landStraight Lake Wilderness State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,631 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Deer Management Unit | Polk County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Straight Lake |
| Nearest towns | Frederic (2 mi), Luck (2 mi) and Milltown (6 mi) |
What is Straight Lake Wilderness State Park like?
Lake views and glacial features provide great vistas on the trails within this 2,000-acre park. Ten walk-in campsites, carry-in boat launches, and a picnic area with reservable shelter are found on the south side of the park's two wild lakes. A premier segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail meanders through the park.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Straight Lake Wilderness State Park as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
In Wisconsin state parks and recreation areas, hunting is limited to the seasons and the parts of the property the DNR sets for each one; the DNR's page has the details.
How many deer are taken around Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
Straight Lake Wilderness State Park lies in Polk County. The DNR registered 8,091 deer in Polk County in 2025, against 7,972 in 2024.
| DMU | Straight Lake Wilderness State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 1,631 | 8,091 | 7,972 | 7,275 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
Nearest towns: Frederic (2 miles), Luck (2 miles), Milltown (6 miles) and Lewis (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 48, WI 46 and WI 35.
What other public land is near Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA): 4,676 acres, next to it
- Straight River Wildlife Area: 1,500 acres, next to it
- Frederic Tower Site: 30 acres, next to it
- Gandy Dancer State Trail: 880 acres, 1.4 miles away
- McKenzie Creek Wildlife Area: 5,547 acres, 2.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Straight Lake Wilderness State Park
Counting Straight Lake Wilderness State Park itself, 3,830 of the 39,744 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 3,636 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 143 |
| County forest | 37 |
| State parks | 7 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 7 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
In Polk County, 2 miles from Frederic. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Straight Lake Wilderness State Park open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Straight Lake Wilderness State Park in?
Polk County.
How much public land is around Straight Lake Wilderness State Park?
3,830 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Straight Lake Wilderness State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA) (next to it).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wisconsin included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Straight Lake Wilderness State Park; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.